Members of the African-American leadership network Project 21 question
the Clinton Administration's sincerity in fighting crime that targets specific
racial groups in light of revelations that the Clinton Justice Department
allowed members of an organized crime operation - including one member who
allegedly targeted blacks for murder - to operate freely while cooperating
with a federal investigation.

John Martorano recently pled guilty to racketeering charges in Boston.
Under the terms of his plea agreement with the government, he will only
receive up to 15 years in prison. Although he has admitted to 20 murders,
the testimony he is providing against his fellow mobsters will have him
on the street in a relatively short amount of time.

Four of the people Martorano admitted to murdering are black. The black
death toll, however, may be much higher. In 1998, Mike Barnicle, a columnist
for the Boston Globe at the time, published a commentary about the gang's
activities which quoted a retired police officer who claimed Martorano "practically
used black people for target practice."

Congressional Republicans are calling for an investigation of Martorano's
plea bargain. House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) wrote to Attorney
General Janet Reno asking, "What signal does this administration send
when it allows dangerous predators like Mr. Martorano to receive a token
slap on the wrist for a lifetime of crime?"

Members of Project 21 wonder just how committed the Clinton Administration
actually is promoting racial healing if it will allow individuals like Martorano
to escape prosecution for the hateful acts of which he is accused. The
deal, which has already brought shame to the Clinton Justice Department
and FBI, makes many wonder if the President's public endorsements of "hate
crimes" legislation and civil rights initiatives are motivated by moral
conviction or simply done for political gain.

"Clinton's sermonizing about race and racial healing mean nothing
when, as a matter of public policy, his prosecutors give racial predators
like Martorano a free pass" said Project 21 member Horace Cooper.
"This guy ought to buried under the jail."